Trustees Records: McKim Building Art and Architecture Papers, 1859-1965 (bulk 1888-1895)Trustees Records: McKim Building Art and Architecture Papers, 1859-1965 (bulk 1888-1895)

This collection documents the planning, design, and installation of the art work that is located in the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library. In particular, the creation of and the controversies surrounding the murals by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) and Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) are documented. Other subjects include Pierre Puvis de Chavannes’s (1824-1898) sculpture The Muses, Frederick MacMonnies's (1863-1937) sculpture Bacchante, and the influence Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) had on the building's decorative features. In addition to the history of the art work, also documented are the plans for the architectural details, such as the design of the courtyard, the exterior inscriptions, and the bronze doors created by Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). In addition, matters concerning the day-to-day construction work, including building schedules, installation of heating and plumbing systems, fire proofing, material delivery, and cost estimates are recounted. Records include contracts, reports, drawings, photographs, correspondence, brochures, petitions, invoices, and newspaper clippings.